Md. Senate puts brakes on superintendent confirmation bill

Published 7:42 am, Tuesday, February 23, 2016

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The Maryland Senate has pushed back a measure that would require the Senate to confirm the state schools superintendent, likely ending the possibility of the bill passing.

The Senate sent the bill back to committee Tuesday.

Sen. Paul Pinsky, a Prince Georges County Democrat who sponsored the bill, says it's "unlikely" the measure will come back this session.

Pinsky says while counsel to the legislature concluded the bill is constitutional, questions arose about whether the legislature should become more involved at the front end during the selection of a superintendent or get involved later legislatively if the state board adopted policies lawmakers become concerned about.

Republicans have questioned why the Democratic-led legislature wants to change a long-held process. Currently, the superintendent is chosen by the state Board of Education.